Surrendering Your Story: Tara Sun’s Journey to Becoming a Published Author
Do you ever just find somebody on Instagram and immediately want to be their best friend?! That’s exactly how I felt when I first connected with my dear friend Tara. Tara is an outstanding writer, ministry leader and podcaster. Would you believe me if I told you this all started with a blog? Her story is one of inspiration and following God’s calling. Tara and I have become such fast friends (even though we’re states apart) and I’m absolutely honored to share more about Tara and her ministry as well as her newly released book (AHH! so exciting!) on the blog today. I know you’ll fall in love with Tara’s sweet soul just as quickly as I did—an you’ll learn a lot too!
Sophie: For those that are new to you and your work, can you share what you do and a little bit about yourself?
Tara: Absolutely! My name is Tara Sun (my middle name being Sun). I am the author of the newly published book, Surrender Your Story: Ditch the Myth of Control and Discover Freedom in Trusting God, and host of the Truth Talks with Tara podcast. My husband, one year old son, and I live in a small town in Oregon. This current season of life is full – busy, yes, but full of so many amazing opportunities from the Lord. Being a wife and mom, while also serving in ministry, is the greatest gift. A fun fact about me is that I used to dance ballet, contemporary, pointe, and jazz for 14 years.
Sophie: Where did your career as an author begin? How did you get your start in this profession?
Tara: When I was a little girl, I remember filling notebooks and Word documents with hundreds of short stories and musings. I always had the “writing itch” but I had forgotten about it when my dreams of becoming a medical professional took over. Long story short, the Lord called me away from pursuing medicine, and instead, opened the door to Bible college and online ministry where my love for writing was reignited as I shared on Instagram and a website. Fast forward a few years, and after some time establishing an online presence, a literary agent reached out to me and we started working on a book proposal. We got countless offers to publish what is now Surrender Your Story and thus my career as an author began! If you would have told me ten years ago that this is what I would be doing, I wouldn’t have believed you. But isn't that what God does?
Sophie: You’ve just released a book Surrender Your Story–there’s so much to celebrate! Can you talk through some of the highs and lows of getting to this point as a now published author? What are you most excited for with the launch of this incredible book?
Tara: Thank you so much for celebrating with me! Surrender Your Story launched on March 7th, 2023 and God has proven himself again to be so good and kind. However, with anything, there have been highs and lows through the process too. One of the greatest highs has been getting to hear from readers about how their faith has been challenged, encouraged, and equipped already. It’s incredible to hear the testimonies of how Surrender Your Story has been the launching pad for people to truly trust God and surrender their lives – that has been the prayer all along. I’ve also loved the PR and marketing side of publishing a book, so that has been a ton of fun to be a part of and strategize with my team at Nelson Books. One unexpected low has been the toil that launching a book takes on you at times – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It is more demanding than many realize. Like other facets of my job online, it is also hard to disconnect and there is always something needing my attention. The pressure to constantly “be on” so that this book thrives and sells well weighs on me, but it’s yet another test of trusting God with the outcome of my obedience in writing.
Sophie: What has been the most rewarding part of telling your story and sharing truth with others in your book release of Surrender Your Story?
Tara: Like I mentioned previously, the reward has been seeing people set free through Surrender Your Story. One of my greatest prayers and desires from this book was to show people that control is not fulfilling – it’s actually bondage, and the more we surrender, the freer and lighter we get to live in the twists and turns of our stories, anchored in God’s unwavering promises for our lives. There’s no greater joy than knowing that Surrender Your Story is serving as a starting point that ignites a deeper hunger for God’s Word and a more intimate knowledge of who He is!
Sophie: What has been the most challenging part of telling your story as an author?
Tara: It’s a tale as old as time, isn’t it? I’m often afraid that the marketing of the book is coming across too “me-centric”, when it’s really just my excitement about the message. It’s challenging to market and sell the book in a genuine way, without leaving a sour taste in their mouths about how “sales-y” it may be. At the end of the day, I would love to inspire people through my story, but the real challenge is to get people past my story and focus on God’s story.
Sophie: As an author, you share so many amazing words in your new book, but also on your social media platforms every day. You have such an engaged following on Instagram and a great platform on YouTube as well! How have you shared your story with others online in an engaging/captivating way?
Tara: That makes me so happy to hear! Social media has been so fun for me over the years and it is ripe with opportunity. My thought process has always been that I want to go where the people are – not just in person, but online, because there aren’t many not on social media apps. One way that I have engaged with people and captivated their attention is by creating beautiful graphics. I’m a big believer that beauty captures one’s attention first, but substance makes them stay. Substance brings true inspiration and change. I’ve also tried, while not perfect, to show up honestly in my struggles. Honest vulnerability is powerful for connection online, but it also meets a powerful human need. Vulnerability aids in trust, which aids a captive audience.
Sophie: Is this current career path the story that you expected God would be writing for you?
Tara: Absolutely not! God took my life on a completely different path, and I’m sure he will continue to surprise me. When I started bible college after stepping away from pursuing medicine, I wasn’t sure what God wanted me to do with that information. I was content with it just changing my own personal walk with Christ. But I now see that he used my education to equip me to do what I am today – teaching other people to know, love, and live God’s Word. Life may not look like what we expected, but it will always be better than expected when we let God have control.
Sophie: You balance motherhood, business and being an author so beautifully. What have been some key things you’ve learned while showing up daily for your family and for your career?
Tara: There are days when I don’t feel like I handle this dynamic well, so thank you! However, I’ve learned that it’s not necessarily a balance. I wish it was a perfect balance, but for me, it’s a matter of priorities. My priorities are as follows: God, my husband, my son, and then everything else. When I keep first things first, I find that everything else falls into place. When I focus on honoring God and my family, I find the right margin and energy to write, podcast, and serve my community online. Practically, some key things that have helped are carving out dedicated days to work so I can be present with my son, and asking for lots of help (not easy for me, but necessary). If you’re a multifaceted person/entrepreneur, or perhaps you’re also a mom, I need you to know that having passions beyond your family is not a bad thing. Just keep what is first, first.
Sophie: If somebody is looking to begin their journey to become a published author, what advice would you give them on where to start?
Tara: The publishing world has changed significantly over the last ten years. What used to be standard is no longer. For one who would love to become a traditionally published author, there are a few things that publishers look for. The first is an established ministry and social media. A lot of marketing falls on the author, so publishers want to know that you would be able to help that process. So, building up a personal platform is important. However, a book should not be the first goal. The goal should always be to add value first, not for the sake of a book deal, but for the sake of building up a community and presence. Many people get it wrong and start their online platforms with the sole intention of getting a book deal and that is backwards. Steward the God-given passion inside of you now, and take one step at a time to see what God may have. Also, keep writing. Everyday. Even if that’s just a little bit. Even if that’s through Instagram captions. Practice that writing muscle and like anything else, it will naturally grow, mature, and strengthen. A good book comes from someone who is passionate and called.
Sophie: Any opportunities, dreams or new things coming soon for you that you can share with us? (If there’s anything for your business that you’d like to promote in this article outside of your new book, please feel free to share!)
Tara: While I can’t exactly say, I will tell you this… My book days aren’t over quite yet, and I am excited to see what God has in store. I also have a weekly podcast called Truth Talks with Tara, that’s all about helping listeners know, love, and live God’s Word. We answer questions that most Christians have, unpack verses, and have conversations with some amazing friends. Sophie and I did an episode together called, “Overcoming Perfectionism”, all about guilt and shame, and it is one of my favorites, so definitely take a listen! And for daily encouragement, lifestyle, and snippets of motherhood, I’d love to have you join me on Instagram @misstarasun.
Through the Truth Talks with Tara podcast, her Instagram community, and other resources, Tara Sun passionately teaches women of all ages to know, love, and live God’s Word for themselves. She shows how to break down God’s Word into understandable pieces, while also adding an artistic flare through her digital art. Tara is married to her high school sweetheart, Michael, and is a mom to their newest addition, Hunter. You’ll find them living and serving the Lord in Oregon.
